Conventionally, there are known games in which settings of a game (specifically, the number of players participating in the game) can be changed while the game is being played.
In a conventional game, when settings (specifically, the number of players participating in the game) of the game is to be changed during the game, the game currently being played is suspended, and an image for changing the settings (specifically, the number of players participating in the game) is displayed on the screen.
Therefore, there is a problem in that, for example, when a new user is going to participate in the game, the progress of the game being played by the user before the new user participates in the game is hindered.
An object of the exemplary embodiment is to provide a computer-readable storage medium, game apparatus, game system, and game processing method, which can change the settings of a game being played, without hindering the progress of the game.
The above object is attained by, for example, the following configurations.
A first configuration example is directed to a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein a game program executed by a computer of a game apparatus that performs game processing in accordance with an input from a portable display device that includes an predetermined input section and with an input from at least one input device, the game program causing the computer to function as: a first input receiving section, a game processing section, a first display control section, a second display control section, a second input receiving section, and a setting change section.
The first input receiving section is configured to receive an input from the input device. The game processing section is configured to perform predetermined game processing based on the input received by the first input receiving section. The first display control section is configured to generate a game image in accordance with a result of the game processing performed by the game processing section and to cause the game image to be displayed on a display device that is different from the portable display device. The second display control section is configured to cause, while the predetermined game processing is being performed without suspending processes performed by the first input receiving section, the game processing section, and the first display control section (hereinafter referred to as main processing), a setting image for changing a setting of the game processing to be displayed on the portable display device. The second input receiving section is configured to receive an input from the input section of the portable display device. The setting change section is configured to change a setting of the game processing based on the input received by the second input receiving section.
The setting change section may change a game performance condition used in the main processing.
The setting change section may change the number of participant in the game being performed by the main processing.
The setting change section may increase the number of participant in the game being performed by the main processing.
The second display control section may cause the portable display device to display a selection image for allowing a user who attempts to newly participate in the game being performed by the main processing to select an operation character.
The setting change section may reduce the number of participant in the game being performed by the main processing.
The second display control section may cause the portable display device to display a selection image for allowing a user to select an operation character that the user attempts to cause to leave the game being performed by the main processing.
The setting change section may change an operation character of a user participating in the game being performed by the main processing.
The setting change section may change a difficulty level of the game being performed by the main processing.
The game processing section may control one or more operation characters in a game world based on the input, from the at least one input device, received by the first input receiving section. Then, based on information indicating correspondence relationship between the at least one input device and the one or more operation characters, and based on the input received by the second input receiving section and an input from an input device that is not associated with any of the one or more operation characters, the setting change section may change a setting of the game processing.
The setting change section may increase the number of participants in the game being performed by the main processing, based on the input from the input device that is not associated with any of the one or more operation characters (hereinafter referred to as nonuse input device). Then, after the number of participant in the game has been increased by the setting change section, the game processing section may perform the game processing also based on the input from the nonuse input device.
The input section of the portable display device may include a pointing device. The second input receiving section may receive an input from the pointing device.
The second display control section may output the setting image to the portable display device by wireless transmission.
The second display control section may compress the setting image and may output a resultant image to the portable display device.
A second configuration example is directed to a game apparatus that performs game processing in accordance with an input from a portable display device that includes a predetermined input section and with an input from at least one input device. The game apparatus includes a first input receiving section, a game processing section, a first display control section, a second display control section, a second input receiving section, and a setting change section.
A third configuration example is directed to a game system that performs game processing in accordance with an input from a portable display device that includes a predetermined input section and with an input from at least one input device. The game apparatus includes a first input receiving section, a game processing section, a first display control section, a second display control section, a second input receiving section, and a setting change section.
A fourth configuration example is directed to a game processing method for performing game processing in accordance with an input from a portable display device that includes a predetermined input section and with an input from at least one input device.
The method includes: receiving an input from the at least one input device; performing predetermined game processing based on the received input; generating a game image in accordance with a result of the game processing; displaying the generated game image on a display device that is different from the portable display device; displaying, while the predetermined game processing is being performed without suspending the receiving the input, the game processing, the generating the game image, and the displaying the game image (hereinafter referred to as main processing), a setting image for changing a setting of the game processing on the portable display device; receiving an input from the input section of the portable display device; and changing a setting of the game processing based on the input received from the input section, wherein in the game processing, the game processing is performed based on a resultant setting due to the change, without suspending the main processing.
According to the exemplary embodiment, it is possible to change the setting of a game being played, without hindering the progress of the game.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the exemplary embodiments will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.